A Riviera Beach man who police say disciplined his child by repeatedly striking him in the face was arrested and charged with child cruelty on Tuesday, according to police.
Riviera Beach police say Gerald Gray, 25, recently busted the 7-year-old boy's lip and left marks on the youngster's face.
The arrest report indicates one of the boy's teachers saw the marks on his face and alerted school police, who then contacted Riviera Beach police.
The boy told investigators that his father "popped" him in the face after he'd had a "bad day" at school.
Police said when Gray was later questioned he said he was angry over a note from the school that indicated the boy was spitting on other students in class.
According to the arrest report, the father said he "tapped" the boy with his open hand twice on the lips as a means of discipline. He said he was not aware of leaving any bruises on the boy's face.
The state's Department of Children & Families was notified.
Gray is being held in lieu of $3,000 bail.
